Applying decorative design to leather



July 7, 1953 A. A. scHol-:NBERG ETAL 2,544,262

APPLYING DECORATIVE DESIGN TO LEATHER Filed Jan. 2,4,

TNESSES )ffl f1 ATTORNEYS.

Patented July 7, 1953 ABIVLYING AldBi-(TIORATIVE DESIGN LEATHER Andrewl A.v Schoenberg, Philadelphia, and John VLH'astingsIIl, Gladywneala.

' Application January 24, lssaseriama. 140,197;

This invention relates to processes: for' producingY decorative colored patternsl on leatherV and particularly to producing patterns in? contrast'- ing colors on suede-leather and on baselmaterials other than leather;

VI-Ieretofore the application of colored patterns to leather has been carried out by brushing` or spraying the coloring material through a stencil! which is placed overl the leather. However, the

processesA known to the art haverbeenl unsatisfactory'for most purposeslargely`V because ofvv the tendency of colored patterns so applied to work free of the surface as the leather isused. `Moreover, in the caseof suede leather there are present at the surfacey aA multiplicity of' very -fine projections which give to'suede leather its characteristic soft feel. These projections present asurface which resists the uni-form application of" color.. Thel result is that attempts to formV patterns in. color' on suede leather'using theprocesses known 2 Fig; '7v is a fragmentary longitudinal eniarged' sectional View with a pressure' elementu show above in elevation.

Fig'. 8 isa corresponding longitudinal sectional viewvshiowing the elements of Fig'.,7j afterthe application of pressure.

Fig. 9 is a longitudinal sectional View of the finished product. l A

It will be appreciated thatv the process is ap'- plicable to'base materials other than leather, although leather has been selected as'on'e example of`base material in the-description which follows.

In'practicing the process illustrated in Figs'. l' to 5 inclusiveapiece of'leatlier I is selectedand spread out on 'a flat surface.Y The7 size of the leather piece may varyl butin general willJ correto the artY have not given practical resultsbecause of poor adhesion of the color to the leather andav pronounced tendency to give a blurred outline, particularlyl where thev stencil i'sj cut' to include relatively iine lines.

Accordingly, the principal, obj ectot ther present invention is to provide processes for applying colored patterns to leather: surfacesand on the surfaces of other base materials as well.v

A further object'r is to.- provide; a process for bringingr about. a strong adhesive. bond betweenv a leather surface and an adhesive which is eitherv colored or which. carries. with. it on: one ,side a colored element such as. a metal nlmof gold, silver or the like.

A further obj ect istoprovide a process for applying colored designs such as lace. to. leather surfaces. l .v

The processes of the present inventionY are described hereinafter in detail, reference being had to the accompanying drawings. inwhich:

Fig. 1 is a plan view showing, a piece of leather on Which there is spread a lace stencil.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary longitudinal substantially enlarged sectional View with a pressure element shown above in elevation.

Fig. 3 is a corresponding longitudinal sectional view showingthe elements'of Fig. 2 after the ap#Y plication of pressure. g

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal sectional View showing. the iinished product.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged plan View of' a portion of the finished product of-A Fig. 4'.

Fig. 6 is a plan view of an alternate form ofthe invention showing a piece of leather?with` a lace. pattern spread over its surface.

spond to the skin sizes available. A stencil' I'I is then spread over theleather piecev as shown in' Fig. 1. Thisl pattern preferably consistsof a relatively thin, finely formed fabric of lace or the like having open spaces separated" merely by threads.

In a separate operation the combination tov be used' in applying .the color to ther leather through the-pattern is prepared. This is accom'- plished by selecting a suitable support material I2 inthe form of' a sheet of glassine paper-o1v regenerated cellulose and applying, a suitable colored adhesive to one 'surface thereof. A releasable material I3- such as bees waxu or'resins whichA are fusible under pressure' may be applied to the support prior to the application of the colored adhesive but this step is not essential.

However, wheres. releaselayer-is'not'used the support must be moistened as hereinafter noted at the time it is removed from thev adhesive: The adhesive I4 is applied to the-supportsheet I2 by applying a uniform thin layer ofv adhesive tothe support by means of a doctor bladek or' the like or by spraying in successive thin layers; Each layer is permitted t'o set suiiicientlyto" acquire a degree of firmness and successive layersv are applied in the same way'. This procedure is re-' peated until six. successive layer-'sof adhesive have been applied.A The final layer ispermittedtoac.-

quirea partial set prior: to application of the ad;- hesive combination tothe leather asfh'ereinafter described in detail. Itis also.- possible. toi apply the adhesive by meansof; a roller coating machine which` is adjusted Ato give. the desired thickness of adhesive coating inf a1 single application..

The combination comprisingther'support lizr and its adhesivecoating is then placed upon. the pattern. l I; overlying the leather piece Ill?` TheA par-- tially Vset adhesive side of' the combi-nation; is placed. on the stencil. II. and pressure is. applied from above by means of the pressure element I5. This pressure should be of the order of about 1000 pounds per square inch and is applied for a period vof from about 5 seconds to about l() seconds thus forcing the adhesive through the stencil openings and into contact with the leather. The pressure element I5 is then withdrawn and the support material I2 is stripped'from the adhesive which is now firmly attached to the leather. Where a release material is not used the back of the support is thoroughly wetted with water and is then stripped from the adhesive while still moist. As shown in Fig. 3, the application of pressure forces the adhesive I4 through the openings of the stencil I I into contact withthe leather. After removal of the support material I2, the

adhesive is left firmly affixed to the leather in the areas underlying the openings in the stencil I I. The stencil is then removed leaving a colored design on a background' corresponding toY the original color Yof .the leather piece. This color may be selected as desired to provide a contrast in the finished piece. As shown in Fig. 5, colored adhesive portions I6 are clearly separated from each other with the background color II of the leather piece visible between the colored adhesive portions.

In the4 embodiment of the invention shown in Figs. 6 to 9 inclusive, the characteristic color effect of a metal seen against a contrasting background is obtained. In this embodiment of the invention a lace stencil 2 Iis spread over a leather piece 20. A combination is then formed comprising a support material consisting of glassine paper or .a're'generateddcellulose 22, a releasable material 23, a metallic film layer 24 and an adhesive `25. The releasable layer 23 consists of a substance such as bees wax or a resin fusible under pressure. The metallic lm 24 is a very thin layer which may be deposited on a releasable layer by cathodic deposition in Ways well known to the art. A plurality of successive layers of adhesive is then applied` to the metallic layer. The building up of the successive layers of adhesive is accomplished following the process set forth in connection'with the description relating to Figs. 1 to 5 or may be applied in a single layer with a roller coating machine. The combination comprising the support 22 and its layers of releasable material metallic film and adhesivecoating is then placed, adhesive side down, over the lace stencil 2| and pressure is applied from above by means of Vpressure element 26. After the application of a pressure ofv about 109.0 pounds per square inch for from about 5 seconds to about l0 seconds, the pressure element 2% is withdrawn leaving the formation shown in Fig. 8. The support material 22 is then stripped away leaving a metallic film affixed to the-leather in the areas corresponding to the openings of the pattern 2 I. The pattern is then removed leaving the formation shown in Fig. 9. The areas where adhesion takes .place thus present a metallic coloration which may be ofl gold, silver or any suitable metal. Along the lines underlying the individual threads of pattern 2l there is no application .either of adhesive or metallic film and consequently the original color of the suede leather, which may be black or any preferred color, is visible to provide a contrast with the metallic film areas.

The adhesive material used in the practice of both embodiments of the present invention as above Vdescribed is a dispersion made up and con' sisting essentially of synthetic rubber and phenolic resin. One such dispersion that has pro- 4 vided particularly good results is a mixture in sifbstantially equal parts of butadiene acrylo nitrile and phenol formaldehyde resin. To this mixture the usual solvents and plasticizers are added. From mixtures of this character and adhesive suitable for the specific .purpose may readily be selected. f

Reference is hereby made to our ccpending application Serial No. 334,491 which is a division of this application, and in which certain features disclosed herein are claimed.

Having thus described our invention, We claim;

formaldehyde resin, placing. said combination f sheet with the adhesive layer next the stencil, ap-

material comprising a solid fusible under pres'A sure, and a distinct layeron said releasable material, applying .pressure to force said base material, stencil and combination Vsheet together, maintaining saidtpressure for al time sufficient to fuse said fusible material, releasing the pressure, and stripping the support material from said distinot layer While the fusible material is in fused condition. z I A 4. The .process defined in claim 3 wherein the distinct layer comprises a colored'coating matee rial. l

5. The process -defined'in claim 3 wherein the distinct layer comprises metal.

6. The process defined in claim 3 wherein the base material is leather. Y

7. The process defined in claim 6` wherein the distinct layercomprises a colored coating material. v

8. The process defined in claim 6 wherein the distinct layer comprises metal. 9. The yprocess defined in claim 3 wherein the stencil comprises lace fabric.

10. The process defined in claim 3 wherein the releasable material is a wax. f 11. The process defined in claim 3 wherein the releasable material is bees wax and the Sui-)Dort material is selected from the group consisting of glassine and regenerated cellulose.

' 12. The process of applying a decorative design to pliable materials having irregularY surfaces consisting of placinga stencil over the material, placing on said stencil a combination comprising a support material, a thin layer of metal and an adhesive comprising buta-dieneracrylo nitrile and phenol formaldehyde resin, applying pressure and thereby forcing said adhesiveinto the surface irregularities of said pliable materials -while com pressing the adhesive bond betweensaid metal and said adhesive, and removing 'said support material an-d said stencil fromsaid ypliable material. y I A 13. The process of applying a decorative design to pliable materials having irregular surfaces consisting of placing a lace fabric stencil over the material, placing on said stencil a combination element comprising a-support material, a thin layer of metal on said support material and an adhesive layer on said metal layer, said adhesive layer comprising a mixed dispersion of butadiene acrylo nitrile and phenol formaldehyde resin, applying a pressure of about 1000 pounds per square inch for from about 5 seconds to about seconds,rthereby concurrently forcing said adhesive and metal layers through portions of said stencil, imbedding said adhesive in the irregular surface of said pliable material, and removing said support material and said stencil, leaving said adhesive iirmly affixed to the pliable material and said metallic layer affixed to said adhesive in a decorative design.

14. The process of app-lying a. metallic layer to pliable materials having irregular surfaces, consisting of placing a lace fabric stencil over the pliable material, placing on said stencil a combination sheet comprising a support material, a layer of releasable material, a thin layer of metal attached to said releasable material and an adhesive layer attached to said layer of metal, applying a pressure of about 1000 pounds per square inch for from about 5 seconds to about 10 seconds, and removing said support material and said stencil, leaving similar portions of said adhes'ive and said metallic layer rmly afxed to Y Numb er the pliable material, and other similar portions thereof aiiixed to the lace fabric stencil.

15. 'Ihe process of applying adecorative vdesign to a base material comprising placing a stencil over the base material, placing on Vsaid stencil a combination sheet comprising a support material, an adhesive layer and a thin layer of metal between said support material and ad* hesive, said adhesive consisting of a material having capacity to adhere to said base material and to said thin metal, placing said combination sheet with the adhesive layer next the stencil, applying pressure to the support layer thereby forcing portions of said adhesive layer through thel stencil against said base material, releasing the pressure, and removing said support material and said stencil from the base material.

ANDREW A. SCHOENBERG. JOHN V. HASTINGS III.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Walker Aug. 27, 1872 Holthausen Oct. 21, 1879 Rauskolb Sept. 9, 1913 McDonald July 8, 1924 Y Bourgeois Feb. 16, 1926 Miller June 16, 1936 Kessler Mar. 13, 1951 Dlls Sept. 27, 1921 

1. THE PROCESS OF APPLYING A DECORATIVE DESIGN TO LEATHER CONSISTING OF PLACING A STENCIL OVER A PIECE OF LEATHER, PLACING ON SAID STENCIL A COMBINATION SHEET COMPRISING A SUPPORT MATERIAL, AN ADHESIVE LAYER AND A THIN LAYER OF METAL BETWEEN SAID SUPPORT MATERIAL AND ADHESIVE, AND ADHESIVE 